


In Your Dreams, Loverboy

by appldor



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Highschool AU, M/M, Songfic, but its more... subtle this time, im sorry i didnt kno how to fit her in properly, uhhhhh Allura's there if u squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-05 03:36:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11569473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appldor/pseuds/appldor
Summary: Lance tries to keep his feelings at bay (and fails) with the help of his friends and then some.•••if only real life worked like this haha am i right





	In Your Dreams, Loverboy

**Author's Note:**

> i’ve been meaning to write this for ages lol also guess who doesn’t know how the american school system works!! (this guy). it may look like sheith at one part but do not be alarmed. it does not happen. this was written entirely at 5am i'll probably come back and edit it when i wake up. guess which song i based this off haha

Current mood: zzz.

Lance is so fucking exhausted.

It’s only eight in the morning and for some reason his English teacher thinks it’s a great idea to force the entire class to listen to a recording of ‘King Lear’. The clock is ticking by so slowly, mocking him and his stupid decision to stay up last night crying about how he couldn’t get tickets to Iron Maiden earlier that day. The teacher’s sitting at her desk typing furiously with eyes definitely not on her students. Lance takes this opportunity to scoot next to Hunk and whispers (because she may not be looking, but she’s got the ears of a bat), “Dude, this blows. I don’t understand -- if she wanted us to engage with the text or whatever, why doesn’t she like, play a movie adaptation instead?”

Hunk turns around to look at his friend, “I dunno Lance I’m not an English teacher… but if I were, I wouldn’t make my students study _King Lear._ The more important question is why she’s making us read… or rather listen to this garbage instead of a masterpiece like ‘Othello’ --  now that’s some shit I can get with.”

“What the hell are you talking about dude… all of Shakespeare is boring. Garbage. A complete waste of my time in today’s modern age where no one cares about-”

A disapproving voice coldly interrupts their conversation. “Lance,” A shiver runs down his back.  “Hunk. I don’t recall saying that anyone could talk during the play. Zip it.”

Lance quickly moves his seat back and tries his damn hardest to pay attention. It doesn’t work. Ten minutes later his head’s on the table, eyes wandering to the most obnoxious posters he’s ever seen. 

 _Keep calm and learn English!_  

_We all smile in the same language :)_

_Mistakes are proof that you are trying_

He shuts his eyes and dreams... of a stupid mullet wearing bright red gym shorts that are _definitely_ way too short for someone like him. 

Wait, what? 

He jolts up from his desk, with a noise loud enough apparently that a couple people turn to look at him. The teacher pays no mind, still typing. What kind of person needs that much typing this early in the morning? (An English teacher apparently). Lance can feel his blood, racing through his ears, heart rate going through the roof.

What a weird dream.

The bell rings, interrupting his train of thought before it could get any further. Checking his schedule, Lance lets out a tired groan.

Hunk walks up beside him as they leave the classroom, voice as chipper as ever, “Not looking so fresh huh bud. What do we have next?”

It’s a blessing and a curse to share all his classes with Hunk this year. Lance pulls up his schedule -- a screenshot on his phone -- and lets out a tired groan. “We’ve got gym next… ugh…” Fantastic.

“What’s the ‘ugh’ for hmm? Is it because a certain… Mr. Kogane will be there as well?” Stupid Hunk with his stupid Cheshire grin.  

A longer groan this time, “Leave me alone Hunk he’s so annoying and pretentious and who the hell has a mullet in this day and age and manages to look cute? That broody asshole apparently.”

“I don’t get why you’re so grumpy about it, he’s a good dude. Seriously. Shay has a class with him, I think like AP Chem or something, and she said he’s really nice. Bit quiet but really polite.”

“Oh great and now he’s smart and well-mannered as well. Add that to the list of ‘ _great things about Keith_ ’”, Lance gestures, arms up in the air pretending to reveal an imaginary banner.

“Whatever you say,” Hunk glances down at his watch. “Ahh biscuits, we gotta dash, Leveille’s gonna chew us out we’re late again. Let’s go, loverboy!”

 

* * *

 

The locker room smells. It’s easy to see why, considering how many people refuse to use or even acknowledge the existence of deodorant -- especially in high school.

Lance quickly changes into his gym clothes, not wanting to be surrounded by his fellow classmates with questionable hygiene. Hunk, by some unforeseeable force of nature, is already changed and waiting outside. The day he changes faster than Hunk will be a good day, but today is apparently not that day, since he sees Keith standing outside, talking to another-- _my god I didn’t realise this place was full of lookers have I been blind this entire time or living under a rock--_ stunning individual with striking platinum hair intricately braided down her back. Lance sees the former wave goodbye before entering the locker room. He sees Keith immediately stop and pull a face, clearly not agreeing to the stench of the place either. 

Lance has no idea what possessed him to start walking to the door, despite only having half his shirt on (he got distracted, who can blame him), and bump into the said boy in question. If Hunk asked later it was totally an accident.

“Hey man, watch it.” Keith sounded annoyed. Whoops.

“Sorry ‘bout that dude, kind of in a rush.” Lance zipped off without another word. He rounded the corner just before the actual gymnasium itself before he’s hit with an o _h my god did that sound rude I think it did holy shit he’s gonna think_ I’m _an_ _asshole now ohhh my god Lance you did it again good thinking good JOB._

 

* * *

 

“Alright. Today we’ll be playing dodgeball since I can’t think of anything better to do and it’s fun.” A grumble of disagreement comes from the students. The teacher, Mrs. Levaille, whips her head around and glares at them, voice laced with a sense of finality, “It’s. Fun.” The students starts to block her voice out as she starts to explains the rules of the game.

Standing near the edge of the group, Lance is currently losing his shit. Physically and figuratively. For one, he’s managed to misplace his phone somewhere between changing and walking to the gymnasium, and two, Keith is standing less than a metre away dressed in some familiar looking red-shorts he definitely did not dream about half an hour ago. He also looks absolutely stunning in those nerdy and outdated knee-high tube socks that for some reason (beyond Lance’s current capability) work for him. However, Lance does a double take on the white Keds since _who the fuck wears Keds in this day and age and also my MOM owns that exact pair what th-_

“Hey. Lance. Psst.” Hunk stands really close to Lance, voice barely audible. “Check Keith out. Don’t you reckon looks kinda cute right now?”

“Hunk.” Tight-lipped, but head spinning, he replies tartly, “Do not get me started on how fucking adorable those socks are. His hair! Is in a tiny ponytail!”

“Do _not_ encourage him Hunk.” A third voice butts in, coming from a tiny somebody to Lance’s right. “He stares at pretty boy more than enough. And I’ve had it up to here about hearing how pretty his damn eyes are in the sunlight during a certain time of day or how he good he smells like when he happens to walk by in the halls.”

Frustrated, they turn to Lance, accentuating each word with a firm poke to the chest, “Just. Ask. Him. Out.”

“I can’t Pidge!” he exclaims.

“Oh, and why is that?” they ask, as if this isn’t the nth time they’ve had this conversation.

“Never in a million years would he like someone like me, and he if did -- he doesn’t -- then why?

There are so many better people out there than me and I’m 99% he’s dating that Shiro guy in the year above us anyway so. Nyeh.” He sticks his tongue out like a child, crosses his arms, and turns away in an unsatisfying victory. 

A resigned sigh escapes their mouth, “If you say so buddy, if you say so.”

 

* * *

 

It’s a Friday afternoon when Lance walks out of class and into the school parking lot. The past couple of months have been hard, nursing an unrequited crush alongside balancing classes and extracurriculars, and to be frank he just wants to go home.

As he makes his way to his car, he can hear raised voices from a couple lots down.

“Shiro, leave me alone. You really didn’t have to do that.” It’s Keith and he doesn’t sound very happy. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. All I did was ask him to leave. Politely.” Lance is shitting bricks. That dude could honestly kick his ass into next year with a smile if he knew how he felt about Keith and Lance would say thank you. Everyone knew you simply didn’t mess with Shiro. Besides, he has a fancy car from the 90’s that all the teachers love since ‘no-one makes them like they used to anymore’ when the company went out of business.

It’s fine though, Lance thinks, that Shiro doesn’t know about him. Until they’re all of a sudden making eye contact and Lance knows that he’s made a terrible mistake.

Shiro’s eyes light up, and jogs over to Lance.

“Hi, you’re Lance right?” he asks

“Um. Yes…?” _play it cool buddy, play it cool,_  “how can I help…?” _Nailed it. You definitely did not just sound like a customer-service helper._

“Oh, I found your phone!” Shiro shuffles around to grab it from his pocket. “Seems like you lost it. Saw your wallpaper, and my buddy Keith over there,” he points over his shoulder, “likes Iron Maiden as well. Seems pretty neat since rock is a dying art and all. Anyway, I just wanted to return it to you. Catch you ‘round!”

Before Lance could respond, the man walked off with a little wave.

_How the hell does he know who I am?_

 

* * *

 

Lance is sitting outside the school hall. It’s warm out tonight, so he’s got his blazer hung over his shoulder, sleeves folded up to his elbows. Pidge didn’t attend prom this year (“But it’s like the best night of the year dude!” “Save your breath Lance I went in like freshman year, I know for a fact it’s just going to be the same boring shit.”), and Hunk is inside dancing with apparently not-girlfriend Shay. It seems like everyone’s got someone tonight.

He hears the doors open, but doesn’t bother turning his head. The sky looks awfully nice tonight -- the stars are twinkling, filling him with a sense of wonder. He imagines how cool it would be to go out there one day and just _explore_.

Lance hears footsteps getting louder, walking towards him. It certainly can’t be Hunk since he’s currently … occupied, and Pidge isn’t here so who is…

His thoughts trail off as he turns around as sees _Keith fucking Kogane_ standing right in front of him and _this isn’t real holy shit how does he know who I_ am _what the hell did I do this time is it because of that one time I bumped into him before class oh god._ He’s looking down at his shoes, hands pulling at his cuffs in nervousness.

Before Lance gets the chance to run away, Keith starts with, “Hey. You’re Lance, right?”

“Eep.” _I did not just say that_ “Uhh-” he coughs nervously again, “y-yeah. I’m Lance. Same gym class.”

“Well, _Lance-from-the-same-gym-class_ ,” Keith says with a smirk, “I’ve got two tickets to Iron Maiden on Friday. Come with me -- I’m only taking yes for an answer.” The smirk’s changed into a small smile which rests on his face. He brings his head up to meet eyes with Lance who in fact in questioning his very existence at this very moment -- his heart has stopped in his chest and there seems to be an excess of blood flowing through his ears (it sounds like a waterfall!) He can’t believe what is happening to him right now.

Keith is quick to break the silence before it drags into awkwardness, “Shiro’s mentioned you before. You two apparently spoke in the parking lot the other day? He told me you like Iron Maiden and weren’t able to get tickets so…” he pulls out two (two!) tickets to the said band and gestures back and forth between them.

Lance’s body seems to act before his mind, as he lets out a loud, “Yes, of course! But, wait, what about Shiro? Isn’t he your boyfriend? Why didn’t you ask him?”

“Shiro? As in like, my brother Shiro? You thought he was my boyfriend?” Keith’s smile has turned into a fully fledged grin, and he looks like to be on the verge of laughter.

Embarrassment fills Lance’s cheeks up real quick, and to save face he utters a quick, “give me like two seconds I’ll be right back.” He can hear Keith laughing quietly before dashing back into the hall, where the night is apparently still well and truly young.

He finds Hunk sitting on the floor away from the music, talking quietly with Shay. He feels bad for ruining the moment with his friend but his best friend can’t miss out on the freshest gossip in town.

“Hunk, Shay, good evening, sorry for interrupting,” he’s speaking at a million miles per hour, “just wanted to let you know that Keith is outside right now, and just asked me to go to the Iron Maiden concert with him this week and I said yes and also turns out Shiro _isn’t_ his boyfriend he’s his _brother_ and actually he’s still there waiting for me so I gotta go have fun, stay safe, seeya!”

Hunk scrambles to his feet, chasing Lance to the door, “wait what the _fuck_ Lance you can’t just leave after dropping news like that!”

Oh he’s done it now -- Hunk usually never swears but the timing was so _good_ he couldn’t resist. “Well I just did. For real I have to go now bye Hunk! I’ll be sure to tell Pidge as well-- don’t tell them before me or I’ll really be toast!”

Lance returns to find Keith looking up at the night sky. “Hey man, sorry about that. Just had to share the good news and all.”

Keith looks at him with gentle eyes and another smile (Lance will never get over his damn smile).

Maybe they weren’t so different after all.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading. was i subtle enough with the song lol


End file.
